


do you, perhaps, feel the same?

by hybridrep



Category: ASTRO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Autumn, Getting Together, Halloween, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-02
Updated: 2017-11-02
Packaged: 2019-01-28 12:47:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,386
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12606960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hybridrep/pseuds/hybridrep
Summary: It took just a moment for Dongmin to recognize it wasn’t any lost creature venturing onto the school’s yard, but a student indeed. And after another moment, as they got closer to the castle — and to Dongmin — it wasn’t too difficult to identify who it was.





	do you, perhaps, feel the same?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [bijyu](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bijyu/gifts).



> happy birthday anna! may halloween be always spooky and astro always cute

 

There was a sense of dread in Dongmin’s stomach when he woke up on the first day of October.

 

It wasn’t the first day of the new school year so he could have been anxious about his new schedule — it’d been already a month since he’d started his sixth year. It wasn’t even a day of some test he could have miraculously forgotten about, no. It was just another Saturday, with enough homework for Dongmin not to have time to rest. Even the first Quidditch match was scheduled one week from now.

 

Not that Dongmin played on the House team. 

 

He looked over the room but everyone was still deep in their sleep. And again, it wasn’t uncommon for Dongmin to wake up first, but somehow, this very day it seemed like it was far too early for him to be up. The eeriness of the early autumn morning, with the fog outside making the night feel longer — it wasn’t helping Dongmin calm down. He placed his hand over his heart, waiting for it to slow back down.

 

With so much time before breakfast but unable to go back to sleep, Dongmin decided to go for a walk. Any other day he would have read a book, but he didn’t usually feel like he did right now. He knew he wouldn’t be able to focus.

 

Although he picked one of his warmer sweaters to put over his pajama shirt, it was still very cold outside. Dongmin could feel the fog clinging to his fingers and face, the only parts of his body that weren't covered. His cloak felt heavy on his shoulders, too. Dongmin pouted. The exquisite feeling hadn’t gone away yet. Then, remembering Sanha’s words, his pout changed into a frown.

 

He hadn’t ever heard what other students were calling the usual outings to Hogsmeade that happened around Halloween every year — that they were rehearsal before Valentine's Day.

 

“A creepier one!” Sanha had declared just yesterday at dinner, making Jinwoo choke on his pumpkin juice when Sanha had pointed at him to be the one he’d heard it from.

 

But then, despite not being oblivious to romantic acts, Dongmin had never paid much attention to relationships — or to starting one, for that matter. Getting Valentine's confessions was embarrassing enough. Not to mention that one time he’d almost drunk a love potion. 

 

Halloween was in a month, and as Dongmin tried to make out the shore of the lake in the thick fog, he wondered if it all meant he was going to be asked out again.

 

He was ready to head back to the castle when a movement caught his attention. It was near the Forbidden Forest, of all places. It wasn’t uncommon for students to get close to it, even step into it out of curiosity, but the timing was quite unusual. And for anything that lived in the forest to come out of it — that never really happened.

 

He wrapped his cloak around himself tighter.

 

It took just a moment for Dongmin to recognize it wasn’t any lost creature venturing onto the school’s yard, but a student indeed. And after another moment, as they got closer to the castle — and to Dongmin — it wasn’t too difficult to identify who it was.

 

Despite them not being very close, Dongmin could recognize that smile anywhere. Though embarrassed, it was unmistakably Gryffindor’s Bin, with only a thin shirt on and hair so messy he looked like he’d spent the night in the forest. Dongmin was afraid he might have had, judging by the little twig picking out of his fringe.

 

Just like in class, Bin avoided his eyes.

 

“What are you doing here?” Dongmin asked.

 

Bin’s smile was timid. “Ah, right, as a Prefect...”

 

The last thing on Dongmin’s mind was to tell on him or punish him anyhow, so for a moment Dongmin stood there with his mouth hanging open. “That’s not why I’m asking,” he said at last.

 

“Oh.” Bin scrunched his nose a little, ducking his head. “Well then, it was supposed to be a secret…”

 

Now, that really piqued Dongmin’s curiosity. It might have been an innocuous question at first, but whatever Bin had been doing in the Forbidden Forest, Dongmin genuinely wanted to know what it was.

 

“I can keep one,” Dongmin said, waiting for Bin to lift his gaze at him.

 

When he finally did look at Dongmin, it took a moment before he spoke, biting his lip the whole time.

 

“We should become friends first,” he offered, laughing a little when Dongmin raised his brows at him. He’d have said they already were friends, maybe not the closest ones, but if he wanted to hang out together more — Dongmin, despite the request being quite exquisite, didn’t see any problem with it. At Dongmin’s nod, Bin continued, “It’ll make you want to keep the secret more, don’t you think?”

 

He sounded like Myungjun, but more sincere and less mischievous. It didn’t seem like a trick. And it wasn’t like Dongmin had never wanted to visit the Forbidden Forest. He was just too scared to go there, much less alone, but that wasn’t something Bin needed to know.

 

Dongmin sighed, his warm breath coming out visible in the coldness of the morning — a white puff of fog. It disappeared quickly, revealing the same shy smile still prominent on Bin’s lips.

 

Dongmin returned the smile. “Don’t you have homework to do?”

  
  
  


Five feet of different essays later and lunch they barely made it to, Dongmin got to know more about Bin than he’d heard from his friends ever. For example, he knew Bin was a Chaser in Gryffindor’s Quidditch team but not the whole story of how he’d gotten in. Dongmin didn’t pay attention to Dueling Club but Bin had been attending it since he’d been introduced to it at the beginning of their second year. Dongmin learned all of that but not Bin’s little secret.

 

At least, the uneasy feeling that had woken him up that day had disappeared.

 

When they went back to the library, Myungjun was already there. Dongmin knew it meant trouble when he gave an excited shout upon seeing them, garnering glares from other students and a grunt from Madam Pince.

 

“Didn’t expect the two of you here… together,” he said in a stage whisper. He didn’t get discouraged by the roll of Dongmin’s eyes and continued, “Don’t you have Quidditch practice today, Binnie?”

 

Bin shook his head, fringe — hair brushed down now, and the twig taken out — dancing over his brows. “Gryffindor’s is tomorrow. Today the field belongs to Jinwoo’s team. Shouldn’t you worry about your own House, though?”

 

Myungjun grinned but said nothing and Dongmin took it as a clue to unroll his scrolls. His History of Magic essay was due on Monday, and he was only halfway done with it. Myungjun, though, seemed to be nowhere done as he continued to bicker with Bin.

 

“I need to have something to say during the game!”

 

“You’re supposed to talk about the game, hyung,” Bin reminded him. He spread his homework out, too.

 

Myungjun took the hint at last. He opened his book on Charms but it didn’t even take ten minutes for him to shut it back closed.

 

“I need another book. What about you?”

 

Dongmin was ready to answer that no, he got everything he needed but Myungjun was looking right at Bin. Dongmin swallowed any comment he could’ve made and nudged Bin with his foot to urge him to answer.

 

“Oh, me?” Bin looked up from his paper, hand automatically moving away so the ink wouldn’t drip onto it. “Not yet, I’m still working with—”

 

“You will need another one, c’mon!”

 

Whatever Myungjun was planning couldn’t be good, and Dongmin instantly worried. He didn’t want to get kicked out of the library if Myungjun decided to play another prank on one of them. Especially if it was to make him and Bin take a step back from what they agreed on. And another step back from getting to know that secret of his.

 

Dongmin sighed and went back to his homework but distraction didn’t take too long to reach him as a loud bang went off a couple of rows away from him. There was a loud shriek, too, and Dongmin dragged his eyes with dread after the figure of Madam Pince rushing in the direction of the commotion.

 

He didn’t get to hear exactly what they were being scolded for, Madam Pince’s voice only an angry whisper, but Dongmin knew one thing for sure — Myungjun wouldn’t be very remorseful about it. Bin, on the other hand — if this made his House lose any points, he might get worried. He was a Gryffindor, after all.

 

“Come see our practice tomorrow!” was the last thing Bin managed to say to him before they were being taken out of the library. They must have gotten just a scolding, because he didn’t seem worried at all.

 

Or maybe Dongmin had yet to know Bin better.

 

Just as he was about to go back to working on his essay, his eyes landed on the books on the table. Of course Bin had left all of his stuff here. Dongmin didn’t believe anybody would take Bin’s stuff, but he also felt it was in his obligation to hand it all back to Bin.

  
  
  


Something must have triggered the sudden wave in love confessions Dongmin started getting in the next few days, and again it brought back what Sanha had said before. Was everybody that desperate to get a date for Halloween? Dongmin didn’t share the sentiment, though now he wished he had someone to go with — even if for the sole purpose of stopping people from trying to ask him out.

 

Nothing was more awkward than hearing from somebody you barely ever talked to how much they liked you and wanted to date you. Well, except having to decline and see the embarrassed look on their faces.

 

The queasy feeling in the pit of Dongmin’s stomach was back as well.

 

“I’m not that surprised, you are like the most—”

 

Dongmin groaned, knowing exactly what Jinwoo was going say. “Please—”

 

“You are the most handsome at Hogwarts. Well, except maybe me.”

 

Sanha snorted into his cereal and some of them actually flew out of the bowl; there wasn’t enough milk inside to soak them all up. “Do you have a date then?”

 

“I’m considering the offers,” Jinwoo sniffed.

 

Dongmin would gladly give all the confessions to him if he could. It was so frustrating he started thinking about taking one of the offers to stop any oncoming ones. It was just that Dongmin wasn’t sure anything would come out of it, so the vision of rejecting the person after the date was even worse in Dongmin’s head. Not to mention — cruel.

  
  
  


It’s the night after the game, so Dongmin didn’t feel as bad about going out to wander the corridors at night. Prefects were either celebrating or at least turning a blind eye on the extra activities going on both inside and outside their dormitories.

 

It was just that Dongmin neither felt like partying nor sleeping, nervous all over again. He managed to run away from a fellow Ravenclaw boy, fifth year, after he saw him staring at him across the common room with a box of chocolate in hand. 

 

Dongmin was so deep in his thoughts he only spotted the cat when it meowed, the thin noise carrying through the vast corridor and brought Dongmin to a stop.

 

The cat was all white so it was unmistakably Minhyuk's. Dongmin crouched as the cat approached him, ready to pet her.

 

“Hello, Lady,” he said, scratching the cat’s head and then the arch of her back when she meowed again. “Hi.”

 

On instinct, Dongmin picked the cat up when he heard steps. If anything, he could use it up as an excuse.

 

It turned out there was no need for that. When the steps reached the corner, Dongmin was met with nobody else but Bin. His shirt was only half-buttoned and his hair was damp.

 

“Aren’t you celebrating?” Dongmin asked him. The cat wriggled in his arms but still bared her neck for Dongmin to scratch it.

 

“I was,” Bin smiled. Of course he must have been. He was the one who’d brought the win for his House. It had been one of the shortest games, with him catching the snitch twenty minutes into it. “It got a bit rowdy, though, and Jinwoo sent us to clean up.”

 

“It must have really been crazy then, if Jinwoo had to intervene.”

 

Bin laughed, reaching his hand to run his fingers through the cat’s fur. His shirt opened up more with the movement and Dongmin wondered if he wasn’t cold like that. But Bin seemed unbothered, asking lightly, “Isn’t it Minhyuk’s?”

 

The cat grumbled and wriggled again so Dongmin let her out of his arms. They both watched as she disappeared down the corridor soundlessly.

 

Dongmin hummed belatedly as an answer and Bin’s eyes moved back to him. It was somewhat strange after all that time Bin had avoided looking at him, would that be in class or the Great Hall — even meeting in the corridors had meant Bin’s eyes sliding off Dongmin’s face all too soon. Looking back, Dongmin was surprised he even noticed it. But he paid closer attention now, more and more as time went by and they got to know each other more.

 

“Jinwoo sent you to the bathrooms but this is not the way back to your dormitory,” Dongmin said, and with a groan he reached for Bin’s shirt. “It’s too cold for you to—” He tugged at one of the buttons and his fingers knocked against Bin’s when he started on the buttons as well.

 

“I’m good,” he said smiling — laughing at Dongmin. “But if it bothers you, I’ll button it up.”

 

“It doesn’t bother me,” Dongmin protested automatically.

 

“Sure.”

 

It was clear to Dongmin that Bin was still laughing at him, but it didn’t bothered him as much as when his friends teased him. Somehow, it felt heart-warming.

 

“I’ll walk you to the seventh floor,” Dongmin announced, making up his mind about it quickly. “Wherever you were going, I—”

 

“You’ll keep it a secret?”

 

Bin took a step forward and looked back at Dongmin where he stood, exasperated. Dongmin shook his head, but not in denial. Bin, he was learning, was sometimes unbelievable.

 

He matched Bin’s step, curling his hand around Bin’s arm as if the latter was to run away.

 

“Don’t make the list too long.”

  
  
  


Somehow, Dongmin found some spare time between checking on his Veritaserum potion and writing another three-foot long essay on ancient runes to visit the Dueling Club. He had no idea how Bin had managed to talk him into it, even if Dongmin had only promised to go as a spectator.

 

“It’s really fun,” Minhyuk kept on convincing him. “Besides, it improves your spellwork a whole lot.”

 

It wasn’t like Dongmin had any reasonable arguments to refute that. It was just that fighting wasn’t his thing.

 

“It’s like fencing, if I had to compare it to something. You’ve heard of it, right?”

 

Dongmin gave Minhyuk a look. Nowadays, being raised in an all-wizard family didn’t mean they knew nothing beside the world of magic. Dongmin went to the Muggles school before Hogwarts — and used the internet even longer before that. He knew Minhyuk didn’t mean anything bad, he was too sweet for that, so he shoved him playfully. “If the saber let out any sparks, it would be crazy.”

 

Minhyuk laughed at that and then their attention was brought back to the tables. Bin wasn’t the first to go, but he grinned at Dongmin from the other side where the club members stood.

 

From his younger years, Dongmin remembers how it was to fight. Not himself, but kids exchanging punches in early elementary school were scenes Dongmin remembered quite well. And it wasn’t like Dongmin had expected the Dueling Club to be the same — he had never expected a real fight to happen here — but he also remembered his second year at Hogwarts. It had been overwhelming the first time, and a little bit scary. This time, though, Dongmin found himself anticipating the first duel. Maybe because the first students to get paired were older ones, looking like they knew what they were doing, or maybe because Dongmin himself was now older as well. He thought about using self-developed spells and trying to surprise the opponent with something smart instead of what he first thought was a useless scuffle of throwing every known spell at each other.

 

“Tell me Jinwoo has never joined the club,” Dongmin said after the first duel was over.

 

Minhyuk grinned. “You think Jinwoo is so slow he’d get his ass whooped, right? Well, he doesn’t attend because on his very first duel he knocked the other kid so hard he ended up in the Hospital Wing!”

 

“But Jinwoo—”   
  
“Wouldn’t hurt a fly,” Minhyuk acknowledged. “But he was so fast then, and his spell so strong he really sent his opponent flying. He broke his leg and dislocated two of his fingers.”

 

The second duel was done now, and Bin stepped up. Dongmin looked as he and another Gryffindor moved into position. “Did Jinwoo cry?” He asked, knowing how much of a cry-baby his friend was.

 

“Of course he did,” Minhyuk confirmed with a nod. “He even paid the poor guy a visit and brought him cookies. Oh!”

 

Dongmin had been focused on the duel but Minhyuk’s little shout startled him more than the actual spell hitting Bin’s partner. It got mostly blocked but its force still managed to make the boy stumble and fall to the ground.

 

“Can we have another round?” Bin asked whom Dongmin suspected was the captain — the Head Girl from Slytherin.

 

When Bin smiled, wide and happy after he got the permission for a rematch, Dongmin felt himself smiling, too.

 

“Hey, anyway,” Minhyuk said right after the second round started. “Jinwoo never came back to the club. It’s a miracle he handles Quidditch.”

 

“Bin said he’s a great captain,” Dongmin recalled. “He just nags them about being careful a lot.”

 

Minhyuk laughed. “Seems about right.”

 

And for the second time, Bin won the duel, giving his partner an apologetic bow. He was better than Dongmin had expected, and he already expected a lot from seeing him fly on the broom.

 

Bin marched straight up to them with a proud smile. “I told you it was fun.”

 

“And for the fun I reach!” Minhyuk shot back, leaving them to take himself up a spot in the queue to the platform.

 

They both stared after him, but soon Bin turned to Dongmin. “I tried to make it exciting.”

 

Dongmin searched his face, but Bin seemed genuinely happy. And expectant.   
  


“Do you mean it’s different on any other day?”

 

Bin’s smile was really contagious, and Dongmin’s lips quirked up when Bin laughed out loud at that.

 

He shook his head. “Not that much. Usually it’s quicker. Depends on a lot of things, like who are you going against—”

 

“And their technique?”

 

Bin confirmed Dongmin’s words with an eager nod. “Exactly.”

 

They both watched all the duels, and Dongmin found himself listening to every comment about the participating students with utmost interest. Even for how good Dongmin was at Defence Against the Dark Arts class, it definitely shone some new light on it.

 

“You should try it,” Bin concluded when they were leaving the Great Hall.

 

The immediate answer for Dongmin was to protest. “No, I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

 

“You’re really good, though, aren’t you?”

 

Dongmin blinked up at Bin in surprise. Ravenclaw didn’t share neither Charms nor Defence Against the Dark Arts class with Gryffindor. Not even the Transfiguration one.

 

It must have embarrassed Bin some, his words, as he ducked his head, laughing a little. “I heard you’re third in our year. That’s why…” He triled off.

 

“I was third once, that’s true, but I’m fifth now,” Dongmin said, quite embarrassed himself. He didn’t want to look like he was showing off. He just worked hard, that was all. “But how did you know—”

 

“Anyway,” Bin threw in, coughing a little. “I think you’d do great. You’re a great wizard.”

 

Although still confused, Dongmin didn’t further argue with Bin. Personally, he might not find himself such an outstanding student, but to hear somebody say it to him — it felt good.    
  


  
  


Everything went well for a whole week, including flying around the Quidditch pitch for a good hour with Bin after both of Gryffindor’s practices — until the last Wednesday before the Halloween weekend.

 

They were eating breakfast at the Hufflepuff table when morning mail arrived. Dongmin hadn’t subscribed to the Daily Prophet this year so he wasn’t expecting anything.

 

And yet.

 

The letter not only was unsigned, but the moment Dongmin opened it, it started screaming. A howler.

 

“ _ Dongmin, I’ve been trying to tell you this for a long time! _ ” It said in an overly-sweet but scratchy voice. “ _ I always wanted to date you. You’re the most gorgeous guy in the entire school _ —”

 

It went on, but Dongmin pressed his hands to his ears, mortified. Minhyuk was trying to cast a  _ silencio _ on the howler but it didn’t work. Sanha only stared with his mouth hanging open, probably amazed by the talking paper. No matter how his friends reacted, Dongmin could feel himself getting angrier and angrier. He flinched when the letter shred itself to pieces, the bits of it falling into his plate.

 

“Enough! Merlin’s beard, enough.”

 

Jinwoo looked crestfallen but still tried to amend it. “Just ignore it, Dongmin. You don’t need to address it or anything—”

 

“That’s beside the point!”

 

Dongmin raised the volume of his voice even more, and now was aware of people staring at their table. It made him even more frustrated. The attention was weighing him down slowly; his instincts were telling him to run away.

 

And that was exactly what he did. He picked up his books and left the Great Hall, trying to forget Sanha’s face — bottom lip wobbling as if he were about to cry.

 

He was in such a rush it was inevitable he ran into someone. The only good thing about it was that the person happened to be Bin.

 

“Whoa, be careful—Dongmin? Are you okay?”

 

There was that nudge inside Dongmin to just scream again but Bin looked at him with worry and it wouldn’t be fair — screaming at his friends back in the Great Hall had been a mistake already.

 

Dongmin took a deep breath. “It has been a terrible morning so far.”

 

“I know,” Bin sighed. “I overslept.”

 

Bin’s smile — were it a happy, an amused or like then, a sheepish one — had always been contagious; gradually, Dongmin relaxed, smiling right back at him. “You better hurry up, breakfast time is almost up.”

 

Again, Bin groaned. “You could have saved me some food, you know.”

 

The pout Bin was trying to pull on him only made Dongmin snort. “Don’t you eat a lot?” he joked, laughing a little at Bin's evasive shrug. “I wouldn’t be able to carry that amount of food out.”

 

Bin looked mildly offended by the comment, mouth falling open to probably counter Dongmin back, when Jinwoo caught up to them in the hallway.

 

“Oh, thanks to all the Houses’ Founders, he didn’t curse you!”

 

Dongmin furrowed his brows and followed Jinwoo’s line of vision, and yes — Jinwoo was looking at Bin, all relieved.

 

“Hey, I wouldn’t—”

 

“He got really mad about that howler, you know. I knew he had short temper, but—Sanha got scared!”

 

As if the sole event at the breakfast wasn’t embarrassing enough — Dongmin felt his face heat up. He fought with the urge to cover his burning cheeks, clenching his fists by his sides. What if Bin thought he was some kind of lunatic?

 

“What was it about?” Bin asked, alarmed. His hand landed on Dongmin’s shoulder. “Was it something mean?”

 

During the whole time it took Jinwoo to explain what happened, Dongmin contemplated the two most appealing options he had: to run away or just turn to Bin and tell him how bad it all had always felt. He picked neither, though, patiently waiting for Jinwoo to finish even as his ears continued to burn hot.

 

“I don’t think it’s that bad,” Jinwoo finished, shrugging helplessly.

 

Dongmin pressed his lips together. Nobody had ever gotten it — the unwanted attention. Or rather, the attention for all the wrong reasons. Dongmin had never had a problem with teachers praising his skills, giving him a good grade for the homework well done. On the contrary, it kept Dongmin motivated. But people being after his looks, people Bin only knew from passing by them at the Great Staircase — it felt like too much.

 

“Hearing compliments is surely nice,” Bin admitted. Dongmin sagged under his hand but nodded. “On the other hand, strangers wanting to date you… that might be a bit overwhelming.”

 

Dongmin gave him a weak smile; it could have been wider because at least Bin seemed to understand but Dongmin was tired. Sometimes he wished he could just date somebody so the other students gave him some space. But for Dongmin, falling in love wasn’t easy, and dating out of convenience and without feelings appeared to be a big hassle. Not to mention — a lie.

 

He looked at Bin and into his eyes. For the first time, he felt the need to look away first. He shouldn’t have been imagining what Bin would have said for such a friendly request. He exhaled soundly. “It’s very frustrating. If I wanted to date anyone, I would just—”

 

“Oh,” Jinwoo gasped, “would you really?”

 

“Me sooner than you.”

 

It wasn’t that Dongmin really meant it, but teasing Jinwoo came far too easily to stop himself from doing it.

 

“Well, I would surely hesitate,” Bin said before Jinwoo had a chance to counter Dongmin back, and it was obvious he had more to say but didn’t as the hall started filling with students. It was time to go to class. Bin’s smile slipped off his face on an instant. “Oh no, breakfast…”

 

The rush of first years almost threw them off their feet. Dongmin caught on Bin’s sleeve and as Jinwoo hurried Dongmin to go — to their shared class — Dongmin murmured to Bin so only he could hear him, “I’ll get you something before the next one.”

 

Bin’s lost but hopeful stare as Dongmin trailed after Jinwoo was worth sharing one of his own secrets with him.

  
  
  


“You know where the kitchens are?”

 

Bin’s eyes went extremely wide when he finally made Dongmin tell him how he managed to bring him not one but three pieces of carrot cake. It involved tickles, so Dongmin had no choice but to confess.

 

“The kitchen and other places,” he said without thinking and at that he could see questions forming inside Bin’s head before he even opened his mouth (fortunately, he was too busy chewing the cake). Dongmin continued quickly, “Elves are really nice when you don’t disturb them.”

 

Bin hadn’t yet managed to swallow the big piece of cake he bit off of it but still managed to ask quite understandably, “Could you get an actual dinner there, then?”

 

Dongmin sighed, shaking his head in disbelief. “You mean roasted beef and such, am I right?”

 

Bin only shrugged. “Chicken is good, too.”

 

They had free period right after their first class so they enjoyed their time at the backyard. It was quite cold but sunny; wind wasn’t cutting their cheeks harshly — it quirked the dead leaves off the ground every now and then, and it looked as if they were getting up to dance.

 

Dongmin took his wand out of his pocket and made the leaves do just that — dance.

 

“Are you going to Hogsmeade?”

 

Bin’s question made Dongmin’s hand jerk and all the leaves flew away.

 

“As much as I love visiting Hogsmeade, I’ve been thinking of staying at the castle this time,” he said smiling, even if barely so.

 

“Ah, is it because of—”

 

“No,” Dongmin answered on instinct. Then, he grimaced. “I mean, yes. I don’t want it to be spoiled by another—you know.”

 

He was aware of Bin staring at him, yet he refused to raise his eyes.

 

Some second years were practicing transfiguration on tiny ants, and Dongmin went to chide them gently, pointing at the stones they could try the spells on. It was definitely too early in their education to exercise on living creatures.

 

When Dongmin came back to the bench they were sitting on, Bin was back to the same topic from earlier. “Even with me, you wouldn’t go?”

 

Dongmin almost asked him if he wanted to be his coverup date but resisted. Wouldn’t it sound stupid? Instead, he said, “Only if you tell me your secret.”

 

“Ah, that,” Bin said under his breath, laughed a little and squinted his eyes against the sun peeking through the high branches of the trees. “Sounds like a deal to me.”

 

His smile mirrored Dongmin’s when their eyes met.

  
  
  


There it was again — the dread in the pit of Dongmin’s stomach. He’d felt anxious the night before Saturday, avoiding Ravenclaw’s common room, and the feeling only intensified in the morning.

 

Dongmin had never felt nervous before visiting Hogsmeade, not even for the first time when there were mostly the excitement and curiosity of a thirteen year old buzzing under his skin.

 

He frowned at his reflection in the mirror. “Huh.”

 

There was nothing he could do now. He pulled at the collar of his shirt, adjusting it better. Any other off day and Dongmin would have switched to something more comfortable — a sweater or a hoodie, anything that didn’t have buttons or collars, but here he was, totally overdressed. Somehow, he thought it appropriate.

 

“But it’s not a date,” he reminded himself.

 

Why did he feel like it was? He had never even been on one.

 

A group of fifth years that was still around the common room despite the late hour unabashedly turned their heads when Dongmin left his dormitory. The whispers weren’t very subtle, either.

 

Although it was hard, Dongmin swallowed down his irritation and quickly went out. He was a Prefect despite his temper, not because of it — that's what he had been told when he became one.

 

Most of the students already left, so Dongmin only met a couple of the youngest students on his way outside. And there, at the main gate, Bin was waiting for him — scarf wrapped around his neck haphazardly so nothing could hide the welcoming smile stretching his lips.

 

“So you did wake up after all,” Dongmin joked when he reached him.

 

Bin, beside his significant smile had a cozy-looking sweater on, had no coat with him. There was no sun outside and the air had that November bite to it already. How wasn’t Bin freezing being dressed like that?

 

“Ha ha,” Bin replied amusedly at the jab. “I wasn’t late though, was I?”

 

Dongmin bumped their shoulders as they went off to Hogsmeade at last.

 

“Still not joining the Dueling Club?” Bin asked as they made it through the narrow path. There was no mud after the recent rain but the ground under their soles remained damp and soft. “You were so good the last time!”

 

Just the other day when Dongmin had gone there — again — to just watch, he’d been talked into taking the podium and dueling. Despite his success in making his opponent lose his wand, he knew he didn’t enjoy it as much as others did.

 

So it was not only the first time but the last one as well, and Dongmin reminded Bin just that, adding, “I can fly with you, or play Exploding Snap, but not that.”

 

Bin made a show of sighing but didn’t try persuading Dongmin any further.

 

There was supposed to be good weather that day yet it soon started drizzling, then pouring just as they entered the village. Dongmin was about to take off running, turning to tell Bin to do the same only to blink at him in surprise.

 

Bin had fetched his wand out and just like that he had turned the closest twig into an umbrella.

 

“C'mon,” Bin urged him, opening the umbrella over their heads. “It's not that big, we need to hurry.”

 

There was nothing else to say — not when the previously soddened ground started to soak in the water, squelching under their feet. Dongmin clung to Bin’s side, the canopy of the umbrella covering their heads only and nothing more; the twig must have been quite short.

 

The Three Broomsticks was filled with students but not fully. It was still quite early, barely after noon. There were few tables empty and they sat at a smaller one. Bin tapped his fingers as they waited for their food so Dongmin had to point at his glass of Butterbeer. “Drink up!”

 

“It won’t make me less hungry,” Bin laughed. He took a sip nonetheless. “Wait,” he hesitated. “Are you trying to make me drunk?” 

 

Dongmin’s eyes widened. It would be the last thing on his mind. “Who do you take me for?”

 

Bin shook his head. He took another sip of his drink, a longer one this time. He gave Dongmin an artful smile. “I still haven’t told you my secret.”

 

That wasn’t what Dongmin meant, or what he thought the conversation intended. “That’s not—” He mumbled, flushing because his mind definitely had gone in a different direction than Bin’s.

 

Dongmin lifted his mug and took a big gulp of his Butterbeer, much bigger than Bin had taken before, deeming the conversation as finished.

 

It was easy to talk about school and Quidditch, and despite the small talk Bin finished his food in record time.

 

“Let’s buy something fun before going back!” Bin said after they left the Three Broomsticks, and without waiting for Dongmin’s reaction, he pulled Dongmin in the direction of Honeydukes.

 

Dongmin didn’t really mind.

 

The shop was quite crowded inside but they still managed to bump into Myungjun there.

 

“This is not a common spot for dates,” he wondered as Bin busied himself with looking through the selection of nougats and toffees.

 

Dongmin knew what Myungjun was suggesting, and it took him a moment to answer so it wouldn’t make him look like he fell for it.

 

“I wouldn’t know.”

 

Myungjun snorted. “I know, I know—you’ve never been on one, but you should try harder for your man—”

 

“Who is who’s man?”

 

There went not falling for Myungjun’s musings.

 

Bin was looking between the two of them waiting for an answer but Dongmin kept his mouth closed.

 

Myungjun snickered, and Dongmin spoke over him. “Did you choose what you want?”

 

Easily, Bin accepted the change of topic, pointing at all the things he thought interesting.

 

But for Dongmin to believe that conversation was over—it wasn’t.

 

“So, about what Myungjun was talking about back in the shop?” he asked when they were out and away — from both Honeydukes and Myungjun.

 

Dongmin tightened the coat around himself. He bit his lip, thinking of a way to change the topic. He got a quick look at Bin, and got an urging brow lifted at him. He took a breath in. “He was joking, you know,“ he shrugged, “about Halloween and stuff.”

 

“The dating thing?” Bin prompted.

 

Like a balloon deflating, the breath Dongmin had been holding left him in a rush. “Yeah.”

 

They took a turn and a group of laughing, younger than them students run into them. If not for Bin, Dongmin would probably have gotten thrown off his feet. But Bin dragged him aside quickly, held his arm when he stumbled and his hand stayed cupping Dongmin’s elbow.

 

“They looked pretty excited,” Bin mused. “I’m pretty sure I was the same in third year.”

 

Dongmin nodded. He’d been beyond curious and was especially expectant the summer before. He got his parents signing the permission form the moment the owl brought it in July.

 

“Me too. Definitely.”

 

“Now,” Bin continued, the tone of his voice amused, “It seems to be all about dates.”

 

Dongmin grumbled. “Oh come on, you too?”

 

“Haven’t you liked it so far?”

 

The question took Dongmin by surprise. “W-what? But I’ve never, I—”

 

“Oh, I thought you…” Bin searched Dongmin’s face and Dongmin hanged his head low under the scrutiny, hiding. “I thought you knew why I wanted you to come here with me.”

 

What? Dongmin blinked his eyes up and stared at Bin in confusion. He thought Bin was suggesting that Dongmin had gone on some dates before.  _ Haven't you liked it so far? _ It didn’t mean what Dongmin had thought though but instead…

 

Bin asked him to visit Hogsmeade together not as two friends. It was a date.

 

“Wow,” Dongmin murmured. “I’m so dense, I’m sorry, Binnie.”

 

He could feel Bin’s hold loosening around his arm, but before Bin retrieved his hand Dongmin took it in his.

 

All those times Dongmin had caught Bin staring at him in class, shy greetings when they crossed paths in the corridors made sense now. And yet, despite Bin maybe having a crush on Dongmin for a long time now, he’d never confessed. Not before making an attempt to get to know Dongmin some.

 

The familiar uneasy feeling from before was back but different — softer, and having more to do with the excitement of what it all meant.

 

“So,” Dongmin said, clearing his throat subtly, “does it mean you’re going to tell me your secret now?”

 

Bin laughed. He laughed for a moment too long, throwing Dongmin a bit off guard, but he squeezed his hand and led them away — back to the castle. “It’s high time now, isn’t it?”

 

“Well,” Dongmin smiled, “You promised me!”

 

Their hands remained linked, even if a couple of students pointed it out on the street. Gossip traveled fast around the castle, but this time Dongmin wasn’t worried. He would let them talk, as long as they stopped bothering him. 

 

“Yes, I did,” Bin said at last.

 

It had stopped raining but the path was covered in puddles of water and mud, and they tried to lead each other around them. The harder it got the closer the night was getting, the sky darkening above them. They were almost at the castle when Bin tugged on Dongmin’s fingers, guiding them off the path.

 

“Where are we going, now?” Dongmin asked, amused. Bin was still full of surprises to him.

 

“It wouldn’t be good to keep secrets from your date, right?” Bin smiled, looking over his shoulder at him. “But instead of telling you—I’ll show you.”

 

“Oh, what is it?” Dongmin kept on asking but Bin didn’t budge.

 

When they stepped into the Forbidden Forest, Dongmin didn’t protest, even if he let out a shuddering breath. The only thing that had always kept him away from feeding his curiosity about it was fear. This time though, he trusted Bin to know what they were doing. At least Dongmin had seen Bin walk out of it not even a month ago, unharmed.

 

They didn't go far, just to the nearest small clearing. Everything was damp, and it was somehow even colder among the trees than outside the forest. An owl hooted somewhere and Dongmin tripped, frightened.

 

“Don’t worry,” Bin reassured. “We’ve barely stepped in. But, for a moment, I need you to close your eyes.”

 

Dongmin was surely making a pained expression because Bin touched his cheek and smiled, whispering  _ just a few seconds _ to reassure him.

 

And so Dongmin did. He started counting: one, two, three, but before he reached ten, something wet touched his hand. Startled, Dongmin cursed, and then, surprised even by his own reaction, he blinked his eyes open.

 

Right before him, there was a cat. Bin was nowhere to be seen.

 

“Merlin’s—did you just—” Dongmin stuttered. He run his fingers through the cat’s fur and its ear twitched. “I can’t believe this!”

 

The more Dongmin petted the cat the happier it became, and soon Dongmin was laughing with its paws resting on Dongmin’s knees.

 

Too soon, Dongmin’s hand was resting on Bin’s actual hair, with its owner trend smile spreading across his face. “So,” he said, “there is that.”

 

Dongmin snorted. “For a second I thought maybe you were a werewolf,” Dongmin confessed, “but knowing when the full moon was, it didn’t add up. But an animagus! Are you even registered?”

 

“Ah, about that…” Bin worried his bottom lip between his teeth. “I wasn’t, until you caught me that one morning.”

 

Dongmin remembered all too well. “I made you register? Really?” 

 

Just like before, Bin avoided his gaze. He took Dongmin’s hands in his, still crouching in front of him, and started talking.

 

“I was set on training until I finished school and registering afterwards, but then you saw me—not literally what I was doing, but it made me realize the risk. And, ah—” He hesitated for a moment, playing with Dongmin’s fingers. ”I used the opportunity to get closer to you, too. Sorry about that.” He laughed, embarrassed. “I thought if you let me get to know you, I’d do the same.” na odwrot?

 

Dongmin mulled over what Bin had just said. He wanted to make one last thing clear. “Did you do it to ask me out?”

 

Bin let out a long sigh. “I can’t deny it,” he admitted. “I’ve always liked you, but now I know I would have just made a fool of myself if I had.”

 

“Now you know I would have rejected you,” Dongmin corrected.

 

Bin intertwined their fingers together and squeezed. “Good thing I didn’t do it back then, right?”

 

Just as his fingers, Dongmin’s heart got squeezed as he looked into Bin’s face. He sounded earnest, and from his experience for the past month Dongmin knew he was. He’d been very attentive, always listening to what Dongmin had to say. Once he had crossed the personal space boundary, Dongmin didn’t remember him not being close. And it had never felt like too much.

 

“Binnie,” Dongmin said, and Bin turned his head to the side a little. He seemed much more like a dog now than the cat he’d turned into, and Dongmin laughed a little. “Are you asking me out right now, then?”

 

Bin didn’t answer right away. “I like when you call me that,” he said instead, and really, he didn’t have to ask.

 

Before that day, Dongmin had never thought he would be the first one to lean in for a kiss but that’s exactly what he did then, and Bin must have been waiting just for that because he fell right into it. There was the lingering taste of butterbeer on both of their lips and somehow it made Dongmin giggle.

 

“C’mon,” Bin prompted him, ignoring the giggling that continued. “The feast must have already started.”

 

Maybe Dongmin was just happy, laughing during half of the way back. He even waved at some last students rushing back to the castle as they were doing.

 

“Are you that happy?”

 

Dongmin fell into Bin, and just as expected an arm wrapped around him. “Pretty much—yes. Aren’t you?”

 

They walked into the Great Hall to everybody already enjoying the food. At least nobody paid them any mind, except maybe Sanha pointing at them excitedly. Dongmin grinned at him and it was his turn to pull Bin by the elbow to the table most of their friends were sitting at.

 

“I am!” Bin said with a flourish. They bumped their shoulders together, laughing as they pushed between the benches. Now, most people turned their heads at them. Dongmin didn’t care at all this time. By his side, Bin sighed, freeing his hand to reach for fried chicken drumsticks. “Just hungry.”

  
  
  
  
  
  


(“He registered because he was afraid you’re going to tell on him.”

 

“That’s not true!”

 

“Since you’re a Prefect and all.”

 

“Hey!”

 

“He wants to be an auror so he should follow the rules.”

 

“Says the one that goes with him to the Forbidden Forest!”

 

“Oh, shut up.”)

  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> first time writing astro but you can't go wrong with hogwarts right!
> 
> ps. endless thanks to eva ilu <3


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